Within the next two to three years, members of Premier Financial Credit Union should have a new office in Chilton in which they will be able to receive the same full-service financial products and assistance they are used to getting from the Chilton staff.

Steve Nothem, president and chief executive officer of Premier Financial, said the credit union is investigating a site on which it plans to build a new office.

Contrary to some rumors, that site will not be where the Calumet County Highway Department garage is currently located.

Nothem said the age, size and setup of the current Chilton branch do not provide the best conditions for members nor employees, but all that will change with construction of the new office.

“It will be a very nice, member-friendly branch,” Nothem added. “Everything will stay the same, it just has to be more inviting to the members.”

It is too early in the process to know a lot of specifics about the new office in Chilton, but a few things are already being considered. To improve Premier Financial’s branding between offices, Nothem said the design of the new Chilton office will be the standard bearer for changes down the road at Premier’s other offices in New Holstein and Kiel. Nothem hinted that the type of brick seen on Premier’s Kiel office might be emulated in Chilton and, later, in New Holstein.

In addition, Premier Financial officials have previously stated that they want each of their branches to be more children friendly and include areas in which children can play while their parents are conducting business. The new Chilton branch will be constructed with that goal already in mind.

The home office will remain in New Holstein at 2017 Main St. That office is in the finishing stages of its own expansion project to accommodate the growing number of members and employees of the credit union.

“We’re growing with new employees, and because we’re growing we needed the space to better serve members,” Nothem said.

The annual meeting of Premier Financial Credit Union’s members was held April 22, and it was hoped that the meeting could be held in the new upstairs training room at Premier’s New Holstein office.

Nothem said the plan is to have the employees moved upstairs by May 20. Because of the move of Premier’s computer systems upstairs as well, all offices and drive-through facilities will be closed Saturday, May 18 and Express Banking may be temporarily unavailable from Friday, May 17 through Sunday, May 19.

With the approximately 3,000 square feet of additional space in New Holstein— plus the existing space which the moves will free up—Premier Financial Credit Union is set to welcome even more members. And as more people find out what a credit union is all about, the membership list is sure to continue to grow.

Premier Financial’s member service representatives are often answering some basic questions about credit unions, and they are happy to do so. Here are a few of those frequently asked questions:

What is a credit union?

A credit union is a not-for-profit institution. They offer many of the same products and services as banks, including savings and checking accounts, personal and mortgage loans, automated teller machines (ATMs) and online banking—but there are also big differences which can save members money. Credit unions are owned and controlled by their members, not profit-driven shareholders. That means the average credit union can offer better rates and lower fees.

Do you have to be part of a “union” to join Premier Financial Credit Union?

No, you do not have to be part of a union to join PFCU. To join people must reside or be employed in Calumet, Manitowoc or Sheboygan counties, or certain portions of Outagamie and Fond du Lac counties. Any member of the immediate family of any eligible person may become a member in a manner provided in PFCU’s bylaws. Immediate family consists of a spouse, child, parent, grand-